Losing Your Memory
by Athar Riordan
Summary: The Marauder's Family is seemingly fractured. While Remus Lupin returns from his mission to Shannon and Kara Riordan upon hearing the news of the Potter's death, Sirius Black faces losing more than his freedom within Azkaban's walls... An event that will have far reaching consequences when the family eventually re-unites...
1. They're Gone

**Title**: Losing Your Memory

**Author**: Athar 'Gemini' Riordan

**Series**: Children of the Marauders

**Time Frame**: 1981 (Pre-Hogwarts)

**Summary**: In the October of 1981, a group of friends - an extended family of sorts- is seemingly ripped apart. The question is: Will it be forever? Two-part story.

**Disclaimer**: Godric's Hollow passage is taken from _Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows_ (p.p. 280-282). No Infringement is intended through it's use.

_**Author's Note (1)**_: Here is my slight take on the events of 1981, with my series' AU Twist. First part features Remus and mentions to Dumbledore. Sirius will be in Part two which will be posted tomorrow.

* * *

**Part one: "They're Gone..."**

* * *

The night was wet and windy, to children dressed as pumpkins waddling across the square, and the shop windows covered in paper spiders, all the tawdry muggle trappings of a world in which they did not believe... and he was gliding along, that sense of purpose, power and rightness in him that he always knew on these occasions... not anger... that was for weaker souls than he... but triumph, yes... he had waited for this, he had hoped for it...

"Nice costume, Mister!"

He saw the small boy's smile falter as he ran near enough to see beneath the hood of the cloak, saw the fear cloud his painted face: then the child turned and ran away... beneath the robe he fingered the handle of his wand... one simple movement and the child would never reach his mother... but unnecessary, quite unnecessary...

And along a new and darker street he moved, and now his destination was in sight at last, the Fidelius Charm broken, though they did not know it yet... and he made less noise than the dead leaves slithering along the pavement as he drew level with the dark hedge, and stared over it...

They had not drawn the curtains, he saw them quite clearly in their little sitting room, the tall, black-haired man in his glasses, making puffs of coloured smoke erupt from his wand for the amusement of the small black-haired boy in his blue pyjamas. The child was laughing and trying to catch the smoke, to grab it in his small fist...

A door opened and the mother entered, saying words he could not hear, her long, dark red hair falling over her face. Now the father scooped up the son and handed him to the mother. He threw his wand down upon the sofa and stretched, yawning...

The gate creaked alittle as he pushed it open, but James Potter did not hear. His white hand pulled out the wand beneath his cloak and pointed it at the door, which burst open.

He was over the threshold as James came sprinting into the hall. It was easy, too easy, he had not even picked up his wand...

'Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off-'

Hold him off, without a wand in his hand! ... he laughed before casting the curse...

'_Avada Kedavra_!'

The green light filled the cramped hallway, it lit the pram pushed against the wall, it made the banisters glare like lightning rods, and James Potter fell like a marionette whose strings were cut...

He could hear her screaming, from the upper floor, trapped, but as long as she was sensible she, at least, had nothing to fear... he climbed the steps, listening with faint amusements to her attempts to barricade herself in... she had no wand upon her either... how stupid they were, and how trusting, thinking that their safety lay in friends, that weapons could be discarded even for moments...

He forced the door open, cast aside the chair and boxes hastily piled against it with a lazy wave of his wand... and there she stood, the child in her arms. At the sight of him, she dropped her son into the cot behind her and threw her arms wide, as if this would help, as if shielding him from sight she hoped to be chosen instead...

'Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!'

'Stand aside, you silly girl... stand aside, now...'

'Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead-'

'This is my last warning-'

'Not Harry! Please... have mercy... have mercy... Not Harry! Not Harry! Please - I'll do anything –'

'Stand aside – stand aside, girl – '

He could have forced her away from the cot, but it seemed more prudent to finish them all...

The green light flashed around the room and she dropped like her husband. The child had not cried all this time: he could stand, clutching the bars of his cot, and he looked up into the intruders face with a kind of bright interest, perhaps thinking that it was his father who hid beneath the cloak, making more pretty lights, and his mother would pop up any moment, laughing –

He pointed the wand very carefully into the boy's face: he wanted to see it happen, the destruction of this one, inexplicable danger. The child began to cry: it had seen he was not James. He did not like it crying, he had never been able to stomach the small ones' whining in the orphanage –

'_Avada Kedavra_!'

And then he broke: he was nothing, nothing but pain and terror, and he must hide himself, not here in the rubble of the ruined house, where the child was trapped and screaming, but far away... far away...

* * *

_"I am truly sorry, Remus.. Shannon... They're gone..."_

The papers flew everywhere as Remus Lupin let out an unearthly howl before he landed in a nearby chair and curled in on himself as the tears began to fall. They were gone. His friends... His Brothers... His Pack... All gone. James was dead, as was Peter whilst Sirius...Well, Sirius wouldn't be in the picture anymore as he had been sent to Azkaban without trial.

With his hands gripping his hair while sobs tore through him, the werewolf - and last member of the Marauders- felt his heart break; not only for the friends he now mourned the loss of, but also for the baby James and Lily had left behind.

By some miracle, Harry James Potter had survived the killing curse of one of the wizarding world's darkest foes- Lord Voldemort- receiving only a scar, which Dumbledore had said he undoubtedly carry for the rest of his life. Where Harry was now, Remus didn't know. He and Shannon had asked the headmaster to take Harry in themselves, so that he could grow up with his god-sister, Kara, and what was left of his marauder family, but Dumbledore had said that it was not possible - that Harry was now safe, and was protected with the strongest of magics; even if this brought Shannon and Remus no comfort.

Remus had been underground with the werewolves when news filtered through of the Potter's death and Voldemort's downfall, and so he was unaware of what had truly occurred between his three friends in the days leading up to that dark Halloween night. He had then come straight to Shannon's home upon hearing bits and pieces, to find out that the news he had been hearing was true - and that two of his best friends were now dead. But news of the Potter's death would not be all the news the pair would receive. Later that day - the aged headmaster would return, wearier than Remus had ever seen him, to break the news that Sirius Black was on the way to Azkaban after not only murdering 12 Muggles in broad daylight, but also because he had killed Peter Pettigrew, and had sold the Potter's to Voldemort. Shannon had refused to believe it, and Remus had been too in shock to speak.

But now, as light turned to darkness, the full weight of what had occurred over the past few days hit the werewolf like a steam train. Every emotion the numbness had blocked every tear, every cry, was now bubbling up to the service and - with a werewolf's emotions being more heightened than others- were now overcoming the young wizard.

In a bedroom on the floor below the attic - which had become Remus' space over the past couple of years when he came to stay- Shannon Riordan turned her tear stained eyes toward the ceiling upon hearing her friend (brother's) pain filled cry.

After Dumbledore had left, Shannon and Remus had sat in silence on the living room sofa for some time as the news of both death and imprisonment hung in the air. The pair could hardly believe that their family was all but gone - and that the fate of the only other member of their family, Harry, was left unknown, because of an aging headmaster's best intentions. It was during this time of contemplation that Sirius and Shannon's two-and-a-half year old daughter, Kara had awoken in a fit of tears. Shannon had brought the little girl downstairs with her and had set the little girl between herself and Remus, who had latched onto his goddaughter immediately. Kara would probably be the closest thing Remus would come to having a child, and so the closeness between the wizard and little girl was understandable - just as his relationship with a black haired, green eyed baby boy had been. But now, everything had changed,

Looking down at Kara, whose glazed blue eyes were staring at the ceiling with arms stretching up toward the sound of her Godfather's cries, Shannon frowned at the look of discomfort on the toddler's face. It had been there all day, and despite constant reassurances from both adults- it had yet to go.

" 'emus,"

"It's alright, Kara," Shannon cooed. "It's time to go to sleep now, sweetheart."

"Mama Havy, mama," Little Kara babbled, as her eyes scrunched slightly in frustration.

"Ssh, Kara. It's okay," Shannon whispered, as she brushed a small strand of brown from the girl's face before placing a forefinger in the middle of Kara's forehead and muttering a few words under her breath to send a wave of gentle magick into Kara, whose eyes drifted close as the minor spell took effect. Even though, it was only a small inkling on her part regarding her daughter's abilities beginning to manifest themselves, Shannon didn't want Kara to be affected by the tumultuous emotions of herself and Remus.

Closing the door softly behind her, Shannon made her way up to the Attic, where she found Remus still curled in a small hard backed chair, sobbing; his knees were drawn up to his chest, and his arms encircled them with hands gripping the jumper's sleeves tightly.

"Remus," The young woman said with worry in her voice, as she came over to the wizard and attentively placed a hand on his shaking shoulder.

"They're gone. James... and Lily..." His voice sounded so broken, Shannon could almost see his heart breaking apart.

Silently, the young blood witch moved her hand from the wizards shaking shoulder to envelope him in a strong embrace. He had become like a brother to her- acting more like a brother than her biological sibling- and to see him like this, pulled at her heart strings as she felt the grief pouring from him in dark and icy waves.

The Dark wizard Lord had been killed, but the price paid, came to be much higher than anyone had thought it would be. Shannon just hoped that if the wizard did return, as Albus Dumbledore had warned them during his quick visit, the magical world would have recovered enough so as to have a better chance of defending themselves and end it once and for all.

* * *

_**Author's Note (2)**_: Well, that's the first part.. Hope it's okay...


	2. losing your memory

**Title**: Losing Your Memory

**Author**: Athar 'Gemini' Riordan

**Partly Inspired By**: Ryanstar - Losing Your Memory

**Series**: Children of the Marauders

**Time Frame**: 1981 (Pre-Hogwarts)

**Summary**: October 1981. The day when a group of friends - an extended family of sorts- is seemingly ripped apart. The question is: Will it be forever?

**Author's Note (1)**: Here is the promised second part featuring Sirius.

* * *

**Part Two: Losing Your Memory**

* * *

Sirius Black held his head in his hands as he sat in the small cell within the wizard prison of Azkaban. After being arrested on the crime of murder, Sirius had been instantly transported to the prison island by the order of Barty Crouch without the mercy of a trial. Shaking slightly, the young wizard sat curled in corner mourning for those lives which had been so cruelly ripped from the world: the lives of James and Lily Potter.

_Forty Eight hours ago_, James and Lily had been safe in their house in Godric's Hollow with Harry...

_Forty Eight hours ago_, Sirius had convinced his brother in all but blood to switch to Peter Pettigrew as a secret keeper in order to ensure the Potter Family would be safe...

_Twenty Four hours ago_, that same secret keeper had led Voldemort to the Potters very door, and had effectively signed James and Lily's death sentence...

_And just under Twelve hours ago_, Sirius had gone after Peter and had confronted him, Only for Pettigrew to set the young Black heir up for the murder of 12 Muggles and Peter himself. The worm had cut off his own finger and had escaped only to frame Sirius: but not before proclaiming to the people around them that it was Sirius who had betrayed James and Lily.

_I as good as killed them,_ Sirius thought bitterly as he shivered from not only the cold creeping through the windows and cracks in the cell, but also from the Azkaban's fearsome guards: the dementors. Sirius didn't bother trying to warm himself up. By asking James to switch Secret Keepers, the damage caused by his actions had been made clear. _And the worse thing was, I honestly thought it was Remus_.

Sirius had believed that Remus Lupin had been the traitor of their group. Going undercover with the Werewolf Underground Movement, had led to suspicion being placed on Remus by many who had known him during the groups school days, and yet James and Lily – even the mother of Sirius' daughter, Shannon- refused to believe this was the case. Shannon had named Remus Kara's Godfather because she trusted him so much (while Sirius had named James and Lily as Kara's godparents also). Sirius now wished he had listened to his girlfriend; if he had, he wouldn't be in Azkaban.

_If I had only trusted Remus with the plan to switch secret keepers, I could be out of this place raising my Daughter and Godson up together_.

Kara and Harry had seemed to get along well from the two brief interactions between the two mini-marauders, and James had joked during one visit that if Sirius raised Kara up to become a prankster that the little girl would probably outsmart them all with her added abilities. Lily and Shannon had jokingly protested that their children would not be led down the wayward path of pranksters by their fathers, as they would probably all have grey hair by the time they were thirty.

But that wasn't going to happen now. Harry had been taken by Hagrid to Dumbledore; Remus would have undoubtedly gone to Shannon to find out what happened and Shannon wouldn't be able to tell him. _Remus will look out for them, he and Shannon are like brother and sister_, Sirius told himself. _But Harry will be alone_.

The sound of footsteps heading toward the cell brought Sirius out of his thoughts as a shadow appeared the block out the small amount of light that had come through into the cell from the outside. Raising his head, Sirius found himself looking up into the blue eyes of Albus Dumbledore- their natural twinkle extinguished as the old headmaster looked gravely upon the 20 year old.

"Sirius." The voice sounded the same, but Sirius could hear the hard edge in the older wizard's voice. It was the voice Sirius associated with Dumbledore's interrogation of Death Eaters during the war.

Swallowing, the young wizard slowly stood up and staggered over to the cell door. Gripping the bars, Sirius looked into the cold blue eyes.

"Professor... Albus... I didn't sell out James... he was my brother... i wouldn't do that..." The 20 year old rushed in a hoarse voice. He had to try and explain what had happened.

"All evidence is to the contrary," Dumbledore pointed out as he watched the expressions of the young man, which seemed to be pain and grief filled. "You were James and Lily's secret keeper. You were the last person to see them alive... And you killed Peter and took the lives of twelve Muggles also. It cannot be disputed."

Sirius slid down the bars to land heavily on the cold cell floor, his shoulder leaning against the metal bar. Dumbledore watched the young wizard, the coldness in his blue eyes ebbing slightly as Sirius's grey eyes appeared to glaze over.

"I should have told you or Remus that we had switched... If I had..." Sirius shook his head, before sparing a glance up at the headmaster. "How is Harry?"

"Safe." Dumbledore answered. "He is being cared for."

Sirius nodded. "Shannon... Tell her I'm sorry, that this wasn't meant to happen... Tell her to stay strong for Kara, and for Remus."

Dumbledore let out a small sigh at this statement as he watched the man before him, the old wizards eye colour suddenly changing from its normal blue to a hazel brown as he stood there. The man's face become younger as if a movie were rewinding itself. Brown hair began to replace white as a man a few years older than Sirius took the headmaster's place.

"Kara is no longer your concern, Sirius."

The voice behind Sirius sounded different – a northern lilt to the voice, causing him to turn around to find himself looking into the face of Kieran Riordan: Shannon's estranged brother and leader of the dark coven Amyranth. Sirius immediately scrambled up and held onto the bars.

"Kieran. Stay away from Shannon and Kara or I swear to God I'll –"

"You'll what? Come after me and use dark powers learned from your Dark Wizard Lord against me? I doubt it." Kieran said with a smirk, as the edges of his mouth curved up into a small smile.

Dressed solely in black, the brown haired, brown eyed Blood Witch took in the dishevelled appearance of the pureblood wizard who had earned his sister's love with a look of indifference. Kieran was a few years older than Shannon and had quickly risen within the ranks of one of the Coven Witches darker covens to become one of Amyranth's Leaders.

Shannon had refused on many occasions to align Rosiel with Amyranth and for that, Kieran and Shannon hadn't spoken since as Shannon had moved Rosiel from its ancestral Gloucestershire home to Ireland for the coven's protection. Another reason or Rosiel moving was due to Kieran's interest in Kara as she was one of the few children born from two branches magic (coven and wand user) in a generation.

Kieran had always been interested in controlling the more powerful coven witches, and with his own niece looking set to be one such witch, Kieran had wished to be able to exert control over Kara from a young age while making sure his sister was still under his watchful gaze. He had become worse since McKenna's death over six months before and so Sirius knew that Kieran being here was not a social call.

"What do you want, Kieran?" Sirius ground out. "And why use Dumbledore as a disguise? If someone sees you..."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that. You are the only one who can see me," Kieran reassured him as he leant against the wall outside the cell. "And using the old fool's appearance was to ensure you would actually talk to me instead of crying wolf."

"Astral Projection..." Sirius murmured to himself, receiving a small nod of approval from his would-be brother-in-law.

"I see my sister has spoken to you of some of our family's older abilities." Kieran smiled as he folded his arms across his chest in thought. "Although, I must say, I am impressed with Kara and her display of Telepathy. You should be proud: it's uncommon to find a blood witch with the combination of both telekinesis and telepathy- you may find them paired with other abilities but not together."

"Display? What display?" Sirius asked as he gripped the bars. Kara's power had made appearances, but specific abilities had not revealed themselves.

"A few hours ago," Kieran explained. "That wolf of yours showed up at my sister's door early yesterday. After the death of your friends, Dumbledore went to break the news to the both of them in person, and to apprise them of your situation. The wolf shut himself away and my sister was putting your daughter to bed, but Kara wouldn't settle. From what one of my sources tells me, she had been picking up on the emotions of everyone all day and the grief was getting the better of her."

Sirius felt the breath leave him as his knuckles turned white from the pressure of gripping the bars so tightly. So it wasn't just Peter who had been betraying his friends. Someone in the coven was keeping tabs on his new family for Kieran also.

"She calmed down," Kieran continued, unaware of the wizard's reactions. "Shannon had come back to pick her up and the little girl slowly calmed as my sister and the wolf sat together in your quaint living room. My sister doesn't fully realise that my niece's abilities are appearing but she will soon."

"Why are you telling me this?" Sirius ground out as Kieran turned Brown eyes to meet now stormy grey, a smile continuing to play on his face. He needed Sirius to anger, it would make things easier.

"Because it makes no difference to you now; you won't remember this conversation- Just as you won't remember Kara." Kieran said, a smile growing ever more present at the look on Sirius face.

"You see, Shannon will get over you. It will be painfully slow and there will be times when she won't want to carry on. But she will for Kara. And if by some miracle you do get out of this... prison... I cannot afford for you to interfere with the plans my coven has for Kara."

"And how do you think you are going to do that? You can't use active abilities during the process of Astral Projection. That much I did pay attention to when Remus explained." Sirius said, looking sceptical. _Remus old friend, forgive me_.

"Yes, the wolf was correct in his evaluation. However," Kieran said, as he withdrew what looked to be a wand from his robes. "With my advanced ability, I am able to bring small objects with me. And I think you'll find I have become comfortable with using the pieces of wood your kind use to control your powers over the past few years."

Sirius recognised the wand. It belonged to his cousin, Bellatrix, who was still at large.

"Why?" Sirius found himself asking once more. But this time, he could detect a slight tremor in his voice.

"Because like your friend Remus, you are a threat to my plans- even though you are stuck in this place. I can't risk you both being able to interfere with the plans we have for little Kara. One day your dark lord will return, and as in accordance with the agreement that was made between us, he will have our most powerful assets at his disposal. Kara is one of those assets and she needs to be raised to become such an asset. And if this means I have to kill a wolf and erase a few memories from you then so be it."

"Shannon would rather die than allow you to use Kara like that. And Remus will stop you." Sirius said, with as strong a voice as he could muster.

"I'm afraid your wolf is not in a position to help anyone at the moment." Kieran cut in. " Now, I'm afraid I'm going to have to speed this up. I have places to be; A coven to reorganise."

"Kieran please –"Sirius began hoarsely, hoping at one last attempt to reason with the man, as Kieran raised Bellatrix's wand.

"_Obliviate_,"

A white light hit Sirius in the chest as he fell to his knees. His hands went to either side of his forehead as he curled himself up as he watched images of his daughter begin to slip away in his mind's eye.

* * *

~Flash~

_Sirius rushing to a two storey cottage... _

_Remus sitting outside looking up at the stars, his eyes turning to Sirius as his friend stops before him... _

_Remus congratulating him on the birth of his new daughter who Shannon has named Kara... _

_Telling Remus of his fears of not being ready for fatherhood..._

* * *

~Flash~

_Sirius walking into the room he shares with Shannon to find her sitting up in a double bed with a bundle of blankets in her arms. Her brown hair tied back and her brown eyes alight..._

_Slowly stepping over and offering the young woman a hesitant smile as he comes to sit beside her on the bed... Shannon carefully moving the folds of the blanket back to reveal a small baby girl who is sound asleep in her mother's arms after an exhausting day..._

'_She's a miracle,'_

'_She's our little miracle..'_

* * *

~Flash~

_Sitting in the living room with James, Lily, Remus and Shannon's sister-in-law, Rachel who holds her daughter Skye..._

_Sitting beside Shannon in the loveseat with Kara in his arms as Shannon asks the small group to officially become Kara's godparents. Shannon had already asked a reluctant Remus on the day Kara was born, but they had wanted to ask the four of them together..._

_James smiling as he and Lily agree immediately..._

_Remus lost for words, nodding in agreement as Rachel answers positively, as Shannon hugs them both before she hugs Lily and James also whilst Sirius pats his 'brothers' on their backs in thanks..._

~Flash~

* * *

Sirius whimpered as Kieran watched the wizard grip his shoulder length hair which was now becoming damp as the memories began to disappear from his mind, leaving only half truths.

* * *

~Flash~

_Sirius, Remus and James sitting together in the garden as they watch a few month old Harry and year old Kara in early summer before the family had to go into hiding..._

_Lily and Shannon coming out to join the three men as they sit on the grass with the two children..._

_Remus showing Kara how to build a tower of blocks as Sirius and James entertain Harry... _

_Sirius smiling as Kara uses accidental magic which sends a small block sailing through the air and hitting Remus lightly on the nose..._

_James laughing at the surprised look on Remus' face as Harry gurgles..._

* * *

~Flash~

'_Dada'_

_Sirius spins around from the doorway of Kara's nursery, to find the toddler gripping the bars of her cot and watching him with curious blue coloured eyes..._

~Flash~

* * *

As one final memory was affected by the Memory charm, Sirius' body fell limp onto the cold stone floor as his breathing appeared to be slightly laboured and his muscles relaxed as lines of sweat glistened on his pained face.

Kieran lowered Bellatrix's wand and returned it into his dark robe. He had seen all the memory's Sirius had lost replay in his own mind as he placed the walls up around Sirius' life with Kara.

He would still remember Shannon and some of the events, but some would be out of reach. Sirius wouldn't understand why he had gaps in his memory. But he would eventually learn to accept them as being down to his years being spent in Azkaban Prison.

"Goodbye, Sirius." Kieran murmured quietly as he began to fade away.

"I am, truly, very sorry."

* * *

Fini.

* * *

_**Author's Note (2)**_: Well, here is the end of 'The Fracture'. From here there are two ways this story can go in terms of the AU series. So we'll see how things go


End file.
